Q I recently acquired a Browning B2G that I want to shoot both game and Sporting clays with. However, although the stock is comfortable for length, my face is far too high on the top of the stock so I was looking down the rib and shooting high. The dealer who sold me the gun offered to add a large pad to the end of the stock because that would move my face back along the comb, lowering my face. The gun now feels strange to mount and my shooting is erratic. Can you help please?
Tyler Carr, Haywood Oaks
A If you look at the shape of the average shotgun stock you will see the back end, or heel of the comb (the top of the stock that sits against the face), is lower than the front end, or nose. So, if the face sits further back on the comb it will also sit lower. In terms of establishing correct gunfit, the correct length should be established first so that the all-important moving gunmount can be carried out without the butt of the gun catching the bottom of the shoulder pocket and failing to reach the correct spot on the front of the shoulder. Correct comb height is then the next step, called ‘drop’, followed by any sideways bend of the stock to allow for the space between the butt on the shoulder and the rib under the eye. This is called ‘cast off’ for right-handed shooters and ‘cast on’ for left-handers.
Remember, a long stock can cause the front hand position to be moved backwards because of the need to push the gun clear of the shoulder pocket and this may well affect the balance of the gun in the hands. Chris Miles
